Arequipa, the second largest city in Peru , is 1024 km (640 miles) south of Lima. It was founded in 1540 and is one of the most attractive cities. Full of colonial churches and mansions, including the monastery of Santa Catalina, a restored convent established in 1579 and now open to the public . Tamien Arequipa is known as the White City because much of it based on ashier .